Brassiere



Oct. 9, 1951 E. S. FLOERCHINGER BRASSIERE Filed Sept. 2, 1948 INVENTOR ESTHER S. 'FLo ERCHINGER ATTOR NEY Patented Oct. 9, i951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAssniRE 7 Esther S. Floerchinger, University City, Mo.

' Application'September 2, 1948, Serial No. 47,355

This invention relates to brassieres and like articles of apparel for supporting the breasts of women.

It is the primary object of my invention to- It is also an object of the present invention 7 to provide a brassiere which will encircle the lower portions of a Womans breast without applying any backwardcrushing pressure thereupon,-and can be optionally used as an openfaced cradle-type brassiere, or as a closed-pocket type of brassiere, as desired by the wearer.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a brassire which is-economically and durably made and which ,may be readily and comfortably adjusted for properly fitting women of various physical proportions.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a brassire constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; and

Figures 2, and 3 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 2--2, and 33, respectively of Figure 1.

Referring now in more detail, and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a brassiere fabricated preferably of two layers of satin or other suitable material and comprising a body-encircling portion I having central panels 2, 3, relatively stiffened and reinforced by a plurality of horizontally extending lines of stitches 4. Said panels 2, 3, are de- 2 Claims. (01. 2-42) tween the reinforcing member 6 and the face of the panels 2, 3, are loops b, b, respectively, which project horizontally outwardly beyond theouter edges of the reinforcing member 6 over the outer or front faces of the panels 2, 3, for reasons more fully appearing hereinafter;

Stitched to the outer vertical margin of each of the panels 2, 3, are side panels I, 8, respectively, the adjacent margins of which are each p ovided with an upper pointed portion, as at c, extending beyond the upper margin of the panels 2, 3, respectively.

The side panels I, 8, converge toward their ends and are provided with relatively narrow sections of elastic 9, Iii, each having a conventionally shirred tubular fabric covering. Adjacent their ends, the elastic sections 9, ID, are provided with a plurality of vertically arranged loops II, II, retained by cover strips I2, I2.

' respectively, and then suitably knotted or tied.

It should be particularly noted that with the ends d, (1, thus threaded through the loops b, b, the knotted portion is prevented from working down and slipping off the brassire into discomforting contact with the wearers flesh.

Stitched to the upper margins of each of the panels 2, 3, is the lower margin of a breast supporting platform or flap l4, I4, respectively, which, though flexible, are relatively reinforced by means of a plurality of horizontally extending lines of stitches I5, I5, securing the two layers of satin together. The outer vertical margins of the flaps I4, I 5, are secured, by stitching to the upper portions 0 of the side panels T, 8, respectively. The inner vertical margins of the cradle members or flaps I l, It, are free and are marginally bound by cradle straps IE, IS, respectively, which project upwardly and are bent back upon themselves in the provision of loops l1, l1, respectively, such bent-back ends being threaded through slide buckles I8, I8, respectively, for lengthwise adjustment thereof.

Secured at their lower ends to the upper margin of the side panels 1, 8, are cradle straps I9, I53, respectively, which are bent back upon themselves in the formation of loops 2%, 2G, respectively, such bent-back ends being threaded through a slide buckle 2|, 2|, respectively, substantially in the same manner as the cradle straps I6, I6.

A lace or cord V I3 is provided for lacing through the loops I I, I I,

Ring members 22, 22', fabricated preferably of plastic, pass through the loops I1, 20, and I1, respectively, and through loops 23, 23, provided at one end of shoulder straps 24, 24, respectively, which are provided with slide buckles 25, and are secured by stitching at their other end to extensible sections 26, 26, respectively being preferably strips of satin covered goring. The sections 26, 26', in turn, are secured at their lower ends to the upper margins of the sections 9, I6, respectively.

Suitably secured by stitching to the central panels 2, 3, and the reinforcing member 6, adjacent the upper margins thereof, are a plurality of relatively small eye-forming cord loops 27, and on the lower portions of the cradle straps I6, I6, and I9, I9, are stitched eye-forming cord loops 28.

Provided for co-operation with the cradle members I4, I4, are removable cover shields 29 marginally provided with suitably located books for optional engagement with the cord loops 27, 28, so as to cover the flaps I4, I4, and the area a: above the flaps between the cradle straps I 6, I6, and I6, I9, respectively. On their upper margins the shield members 29 are provided with suitably located hooks 3I for engagement with the rings 22, 22, when the shields 29 are utilized.

In use, the brassiere A is applied and adjusted to the body of the wearer in the usual manner, with the under portion of the wearers breasts resting, in supported fashion, upon the flaps I4, I4. It is to be noted that the height of the flaps I4, I4, is such that the upper margins thereof are disposed just below the nipples of the wearers breasts. The flaps I4, I4, may be separately adjusted by sliding the buckles I8, I8, and 2I, ZI, to shorten the lengths of the cradle straps I6, I9, or I6, I9, as the case may be;

This adjustment draws the ends of the flaps I4, I4, toward each other so as to partly encircle the breasts of the wearer and thus support the breasts at the sides as well as below. By this adjustment, the wearers breasts and the immediately adjacent flesh are bunched, as it were, within the area x whereby a maximum developed appearance is eflfected. Such adjustment further enhances the appearance by causing the division between the breasts to be clearly delineated.

In addition to the lateral support to the wearers breasts created by adjusting the cradle straps I6, I6, and I9, I9, an upward pull may be effected by shortening the shoulder straps 24, 24, through sliding of the buckles 25, 25', respectively. This upward tending support will raise the breast and flesh portions bunched by the adjustment of the flaps I4, I4, to give a natural, youthful appearance, as well as provide comfortable uplift.

Thus, it is to be seen that the brassiere A, being capable of adjustments to provide lateral and upward support, as needed, to the wearers breasts, is universally adaptable over a wide range of sizes and bust shapes.

Although current fashions dictate that brassieres do not completely cover the breasts, the wearer may, for reasons of modesty or concealment, fasten the shield members 29 to thebrassire A, whereby the breasts will be entirely enclosed in a covered cup. The use of the shield members 29 does not in any way detract from,

or diminish, the designed purpose of the bras- 4 siere A, or the appearance efiected by the use thereof.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the brassire may be made and substituted for those herein: shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a brassiere, a body-encircling portion comprising a pair of central panels, said central panels being secured together along their inner vertical margins, a reinforcing member overlyingly disposed upon the line of union of the inner vertical margins of the central panels and secured thereto, said reinforcing member being provided on its side margins with a plurality of outwardly projecting loop members, a side panel secured to each central panel, said side panels each having'a tab portion provided with a plurality of loops, and lace means for threading through the loops to maintain the brassiere, about the wearers body, the free ends of said lace means being brought forwardly about the bodyencircling portion and being threaded through the loop members on the reinforcing member whereby said lace means are prevented from slipping ofi" the brassiere.

2. In a brassire, a body-encircling portion comprising a pair of central panels secured together along their inner vertical margins, a reinforcing member overlyingly disposed upon the line of union formed by the inner vertical margin of said panels and secured thereto, a side panel secured to each central panel along its outer vertical margin, a pair of relatively shallow breast-supporting flaps each of which is secured along its lower margin to the upper margin of the central panel and secured to the side panel, said central panels and reinforcing member being provided adjacent their upper margins with a plurality of eye-forming loops, first adjusting straps secured at their lower ends to one end of the flaps, second adjusting straps secured at their lower ends to side panels, said first and second adjusting straps being provided with eyeforming loops, and removable cover shields provided with a plurality of hook members for optional engagement with the eye-forming loops of the central panels, reinforcing members, and first and second straps whereby said shields may be disposed coveringly over said flaps and the area outlined by the upper margin of the flaps and the first and second adjusting straps.

ESTHER S. FLOERCI-IINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 319,190 Bryant June 2, 1885 1,462,966 Jerome July 24, 1923 2,121,088 La Rue June 21, 1938 2,127,927 McCabe Aug. 23, 1938 2,149,819 Rubinstein Mar. 7, 1939 2,317,664 Becker Apr. 27, 1943 2,470,847 Gluckin May 24, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 837,697 France Nov. 18, 1938 

